Will the makeup of the Bush administration change?

Captain Caveman · Post by **Captain Caveman** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:57 pm

I remember hearing rumors early in the campaign that Colin Powell would not return if Bush was reelected. Is this still the current line of thinking? Is it pretty certain that Condi, Rummy, and the others will be coming back?

Dirt · Post by **Dirt** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:07 pm

New Look for the Cabinet

Mr. Sparkle · Post by **Mr. Sparkle** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:14 pm

If they replace Ashcroft with Gulliani, that will definately make me feel better.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:18 pm

Dirt wrote:New Look for the Cabinet

OK, my eyes just glazed over at reading that article. So, are they going to televise the game o musical chairs, or will they just tell us the results?

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:19 pm

Mr. Sparkle wrote:If they replace Ashcroft with Gulliani, that will definately make me feel better.

Same here.

The Preacher · Post by **The Preacher** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:22 pm

No Cabinet survives two terms without significant change. That article is quite interesting, especially the idea of getting Rudy on board as AG (esp. given his stellar record as NY's back in the 80's).

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:22 pm

i wasn't aware they even WORE makeup!

BADA BING!

thank you, thank you...i'm here all week

gellar · Post by **gellar** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:23 pm

I'd LOVE to see Rice gone. I really, really dislike her.

gellar

Kadoth Nodens · Post by **Kadoth Nodens** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:31 pm

Nade wrote:
Mr. Sparkle wrote:If they replace Ashcroft with Gulliani, that will definately make me feel better.
Same here.

Me three. He occasionally did some crazy shit* as Mayor of NYC, but the bastard got results.

*like stalking the parking lot of an Ikea in NJ to try and get New Yorkers to pay additional sales tax on furniture!

Mr. Sparkle · Post by **Mr. Sparkle** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:32 pm

Kadoth Nodens wrote:
Nade wrote:
Mr. Sparkle wrote:If they replace Ashcroft with Gulliani, that will definately make me feel better.
Same here.
Me three. He occasionally did some crazy shit* as Mayor of NYC, but the bastard got results.

*like stalking the parking lot of an Ikea in NJ to try and get New Yorkers to pay additional sales tax on furniture!

And I'm pretty sure he knows there is a Constitution that he is supposed to uphold... whether he personally agrees with it or not.

The Preacher · Post by **The Preacher** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:33 pm

Let me add one more thought/question:

Will Cheney last the entire term?

I'm thinking that there is a reasonable chance he will not but that's just a guess.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:37 pm

The Preacher wrote:Let me add one more thought/question:

Will Cheney last the entire term?

I'm thinking that there is a reasonable chance he will not but that's just a guess.

In that he would resign, or in that he would die?

The Preacher · Post by **The Preacher** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:37 pm

noxiousdog wrote:
The Preacher wrote:Let me add one more thought/question:

Will Cheney last the entire term?

I'm thinking that there is a reasonable chance he will not but that's just a guess.
In that he would resign, or in that he would die?

I was thinking that he might step down for health reasons.

Hetz · Post by **Hetz** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:42 pm

Ashcroft is going to step down?? Rice gone as well? Woah, things are looking MUCH brighter already!!

Things like this will help me get through a second Bush term.

SuperHiro · Post by **SuperHiro** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:43 pm

I can't fathom Rice stepping down.

No way, she has too many strange and just flat-out weird ties to the Bush family.

Mr. Sparkle · Post by **Mr. Sparkle** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:45 pm

The Preacher wrote:
noxiousdog wrote:
The Preacher wrote:Let me add one more thought/question:

Will Cheney last the entire term?

I'm thinking that there is a reasonable chance he will not but that's just a guess.
In that he would resign, or in that he would die?
I was thinking that he might step down for health reasons.

What would happen then? Does the president just get to appoint a new Veep? Or does the "line of succession" come into play?

He's technically an elected official... but I guess Governors get to pick replacements for Senators and stuff, and Bush is sort of the Uber-Governor...

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:47 pm

Mr. Sparkle wrote: What would happen then? Does the president just get to appoint a new Veep? Or does the "line of succession" come into play?

He's technically an elected official... but I guess Governors get to pick replacements for Senators and stuff, and Bush is sort of the Uber-Governor...

He picks a replacement that's confirmed by congress. (eg, Ford)

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:47 pm

personally, i would hate to see powell disappear from the president's circle. ANY leader, if he wants to be effective, needs someone who'll disagree with him and provide a counterpoint for consideration.

The Preacher · Post by **The Preacher** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:48 pm

The resignation of the VP would allow the President to appoint a new one subject to Congressional confirmation.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:50 pm

I feel sorry for Powell. He had so much promise and it all just kind of evaporated...his son is a different matter enitrely though.

Also, I'd be happy to see Ashcroft go. I just can't trust him. Guiliani is definitely a good choice.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:52 pm

hepcat wrote:personally, i would hate to see powell disappear from the president's circle. ANY leader, if he wants to be effective, needs someone who'll disagree with him and provide a counterpoint for consideration.

He's decisive. The counterpoint is unnecessary.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:02 pm

malchior wrote:
hepcat wrote:personally, i would hate to see powell disappear from the president's circle. ANY leader, if he wants to be effective, needs someone who'll disagree with him and provide a counterpoint for consideration.
He's decisive. The counterpoint is unnecessary.

hmmmm....good point!

setaside · Post by **setaside** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:25 pm

One of the tinfoil hat rumors floating around is that Cheney will step down at some point due to "health reasons" to give another veep a chance to get entrenched for the fight in '08 against the rumored Hillary candidacy.

Dramatist · Post by **Dramatist** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:13 pm

I keep hearing about Hillary running in 08. I can't imagine her being nominated.

In Texas Hillary would get 25% of the vote if she were running unopposed.

Edmond · Post by **Edmond** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:52 pm

She would win the state automatically if running unopposed.

A democrat will not carry Texas anyway. If she's able to tip the EV-fat swing states (OH,FL anyone?), she have a chance.

If an ex-President can run for VP, it would be interesting to see a Clinton/Clinton ticket in '08

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:26 pm

He's technically an elected official... but I guess Governors get to pick replacements for Senators and stuff, and Bush is sort of the Uber-Governor...

Speaking of the Uber-Governor, too bad this guy is not eligible!

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:32 pm

Cheney is President G.W. Bush's life insurance policy. Nobody is going to impeach him (if they could) or assassinate him if the alternative is a Dick Cheney Presidency. It's like having a "get out of jail free" card handy.

Rumsfeld was on his way out before 9/11, so he's expendable. If it wasn't politically inexpedient if you claim to have "made no mistakes", I think Rumsfeld would have been fired months ago. I certainly think that if the news media really starts to look hard (hah, silly me...the media has no backbone anymore), there will be a bunch of suppressed stories about how badly Iraq is going will hit the newspapers. Rumsfeld will have to take it for the team.

Ashcroft I think will stick around. His fundamentalist view fits with the administration. And it's not suprising that all of the noise about prosecuting the terrorists and siezing their money has just turned out to be a political ploy with no real convictions to back it up.

If Rumsfeld, Ashcroft and Cheney had real jobs, they'd have been fired at least a year ago for gross incompetence. But since their boss has nine (or more) political lives, they're at least around a bit longer.

I think that Colin Powell can't leave the administration fast enough. The way Colin Powell was backstabbed, undermined and marginalized by the Bush administration is a big part of the reason why I'm so incredibly annoyed (in addition to being a moderate Republican on the social and tax issues). The 2000 Presidency could have been Colin Powell's if he wanted, but instead he played loyal. And paid the price for it -- to the bitter end. What a waste of a good man's integrity.

Dirt · Post by **Dirt** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:51 pm

The country isn't ready for a black President. Powell could pave the way, but the Presidency could never be his.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:48 am

From Drudge:

Attorney General John Ashcroft 'plans to submit his resignation to Bush in the next several days'...

Hamsterball_Z · Post by **Hamsterball_Z** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:21 am

Dirt wrote:The country isn't ready for a black President. Powell could pave the way, but the Presidency could never be his.

Colin Powell is BLACK?!?!?

By the way, have you ever heard anyone pronounce his name correctly? It's Col-IN not Col-ON. Bugs me every time I hear it.

SuperHiro · Post by **SuperHiro** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:00 pm

Looks like Ashcroft is on the way out

Jason Donati · Post by **Jason Donati** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:05 pm

Hamsterball_Z wrote:
Dirt wrote:The country isn't ready for a black President. Powell could pave the way, but the Presidency could never be his.
Colin Powell is BLACK?!?!?

By the way, have you ever heard anyone pronounce his name correctly? It's Col-IN not Col-ON. Bugs me every time I hear it.

Heh, I've never heard anyone pronounce his name Col-ON. Just thinking about it gives me a small fit of giggles.

DD · Post by DD » Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:00 pm

The Preacher wrote:No Cabinet survives two terms without significant change.

Yep, there tends to be a lot of turnover; look at Clinton's cabinet through his second term, same thing with Reagan. High stress jobs, I would imagine....